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The Aviators Angels: 1 year of miracles

It was about 13 months ago now that #TheAviators #Angels idea was first conceived of. The angels’ squadron was born out of tragedy, when my good friend @Reine1Reine went over the rainbow bridge. Her crossing over was very sudden and unexpected.

I was talking with Reine’s Mum afterwards. After expressing her gratitude, we discussed the need on twitter for a group that would respond when people were experiencing a beloved pet in peril or a pet that was crossing the bridge.

As both of were members of the aviators club, the solution was obvious; it should be our club that should do it. I’ve told the story many times of the countless emails and work that went into the founding of #TheAviators #Angels.

When the group started, my expectations were to have maybe a dozen people that would fly when they could. It wouldn’t really matter, as there couldn’t be possibly more than 1 or 2 flights a week – if people would ask for our help. From my point of view it was far more important to support and bring comfort to those in need of emotional support and with no one else to turn to.

There were a lot of missteps in those early days as I made plans to do a flyby with a missing man formation for some service dogs that had crossed the bridge in the line of duty. I was gently reminded that that was not who we were as a club. We do not chase ambulances! Duly chastised and with a new understanding of our mission I planned our first flight. That first flyby, to announce our arrival and our mission was but a glimpse of what was to come.

We have come such a long way since that first flight when an escort flight to the rainbow bridge and a rainbow bridge flyby simply did not exist. As membership and demand for flights grew so did the need for change. I felt like a proud parent as a group of newly minted flight leaders took to the sky and continued what I had started. Each adding their unique touches, but that never bothered me. I owe that group of flight leaders a lot as they took over part of a heavy burden from my shoulders.

I look back to last spring and summer and I really don’t know how we got through it all. There were short notice flights and multiple flights in one 24 hour span. We even expanded our flights to include angelversaries.

Yet here we are a year later and I am still convinced that our most important mission continues to be providing comfort to those who need a shoulder to cry on.

If you know someone that does not believe in miracles, tell them to watch us fly. We are a group of individuals from around the world uniting to provide comfort and emotional support for someone in need. I don’t think there is any better example of a miracle.

Congratulations to all the members of #TheAviators #Angels! You have made this year truly special and made a difference in so many people’s lives.

From across the world we unite in sadness and grief, and that unity often brings a comfort that people we see everyday cannot even begin to fathom. To experience it is a pure joy and is incredibly humbling. To say I am honoured and deeply grateful to be a part of it is putting it too lightly. Look to the skies, for there you will find solace, understanding and peace in the form of the many anipals who pilot their machines out of a sense of friendship and love.